



a 188 



How to Ride. 



BY 



Thomas Clark. 







-^S^. 






V\ 



Copyright, 1891, by Thomas Clark. 



All rights reserved. 



PJSER &> RUSSELL, 

PUBLISHERS, 

212 East 125th Street, 

NEW YORK. 



PREFACE. 



It is not my intention in these few pages to try and 
convince the public that merely by reading some books 
on horsemanship, they can become expert horsemen or 
horsewomen ; far from it, but what I do say, is this, that 
if any one cares to read this little volume, and will remem- 
ber the advice given in it, I feel sure that it will greatly 
aid them in the knowledge of riding. 

I have given instructions for many years in Europe 
and America. As a child, I had more opportunity to in- 
dulge my taste, or, I may say, passion, for horses and 
horseback riding, than a great many others had. My 
father owned from sixty-five to ninety horses all the time, 
some of which were celebrated race horses, and one 
which he owned was fortunate enough to win the Grand 
National Race, which takes a horse out of the common 
to do. As we lived within a short distance of one of the 
best packs of hounds in England, my father always kept 
a standing number of hunters, so that his friends could 
follow the chase. A few of the best race horses my father 
owned, I will name here : Little Tom, Silvertail, Joe Mug- 
gins, Fireaway, Cherry Key, Mushroom, Slyboots, Ochil- 
tree, Exeter, Highflyer, Merry Maid, Pipestalks, Banner 



Bearer, and many others, but as I was very young at that 

time, it would be too hard a task for me to remember the 

names of all the horses my father ever owned, neither 

would it interest the reader. 

Now, horseback riding, like some other pleasures, 

can be indulged in at any age, as long as a man or 

woman do not overtask their strength at the beginning, 

and I really believe that riding has done more to prolong 

life than any other sport, in fact, I know that it has, and 

all the best physicians recommend it very highly in many 

cases. 

The Author. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

LEARNING TO MOUNT, ..... i 

LEARNING TO DISMOUNT, - . .9 

ABOUT THE BRIDLE— explaining the use of the Snaffle 

and Curb, ...... 12 

THE WALK, . . . . . 17 

THE TROT, . . . . ... 21 

THE CANTER, ...... 27 

RING RIDING, . . . . . . . 29 

ROAD RIDING ...... 3 6 

HANDS AND SEAT. . . . . . -43 

LEAPING— TRAINING. ..... 46 

ADVICE TO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WHO INTEND 

BUYING A SADDLE-HORSE, ... 50 

SUGGESTIONS— how to start and how to run a public 

RIDING SCHOOL, . . . . S 2 

WHAT HORSE-BACK RIDING HAS DONE FOR MANY 

AND WHAT IT WILL DO FOR YOU, 55 

SOME USEFUL TIPS, . . . . 5 8 



HOW TO RIDE. 

BY THOMAS CLARK. 



LEARNING TO MOUNT. 

After the pupil has taken a few lessons and been 
made acquainted with the fitting of the bridle and saddle, 
the next thing to do is to learn to mount his horse from 
the ground, as I strongly condemn mounting blocks, and 
as you cannot take them along with you, or find them on 
every roadside, it will be the best plan to learn to mount 
your horse from the ground. 

When a man mounts his horse, he should take all the 
reins in the left hand, that is the right snaffle rein between 
the first and second fingers, the left snaffle rein held in the 
palm of the hand, three fingers dividing the reins, the 
curb reins should be held next each other, near the centre 
of the hand, between the second and third fingers, then 
place your reins neatly together, between finger and 
thumb, and let the end of the reins fall over towards the 
right side, the next thing to do, is to grasp a lock of the 
horse's mane with the left hand, about twelve inches from 
the saddle, now stand with your chest facing the left 




FIRST POSITION TO MOUNT. 




SECOND POSITION TO MOUNT. 



4 LEARNING TO MOUNT. 

shoulder of your horse, the right foot opposite the stirrup, 
then take hold of the stirrup leather, just above the stir- 
rup with the right hand, place the left foot in the stirrup 
as far as the ball of the foot, now take your right hand 
away from the leather, and take hold of the cantle of the 
saddle, spring up from the right foot, straighten both 
knees and keep the heels together, press the left knee well 
against the saddle before passing the right leg over. Care 
should be taken to keep the left foot back*when mounting, 
so as not to touch the horse with the toe. 

The pupil must sit well in the middle of the saddle, 
with the body upright, shoulders thrown back and chest 
expanded and trie head raised, the elbows close to the 
sides, the hands from four to six inches apart, the knuck- 
les turned out and the thumbs on the top, hands, knees 
and heels kept down, and the toes parallel with the horse's 
sides. After getting seated correctly, take the stirrups by 
turning the stirrups outwards, away from the horse's sides, 
the left stirrup to the left and the right to the right, the 
rider will then have the leather flat and smooth, without 
any twist in it. 

The other method of mounting is to take all the reins 
in the right hand, the snaffle reins on the outside and the 
curb reins on the inside, that is, a rein for every finger, 
the rider must stand facing the saddle, then turn half left 
and place the right hand on the pommel of the saddle, 
carry the left hand nine inches in advance of the right, 
taking a firm hold of the mane, place the left foot in the 




CONTINENTAL WAY TO MOUNT. 




MOUNTING INCORRECTLY 



LEARNING TO MOUNT. 7 

stirrup, spring up lightly in the saddle, and after you are 
seated firmly, change the reins from the right hand to the 
left. 

Naturally, the ways I have described, are very hard 
for a beginner at first, but they should be practiced a 
great deal after riding a few times. Of course at first the 
teacher should allow you a little more length and reach, 
especially if one is very stout, or at all stiff, which begin- 
ners generally are at first, but plenty of practice will 
knock all the stiffness out of a man, if he keeps right at it, 
as he should do. The first method 1 described to you, 
with regard to mounting, is called the English way, and 
so it is, if done correctly, but most horsemen stand in 
front of the horse's shoulder, instead of nearly back of it, 
and as the man's arm is not long enough to reach the 
saddle, consequently he has to hop on the right foot, near 
enough to the horse to reach his saddle, it is not only an 
extra exertion on his part, but it annoys the horse and 
causes him to become restless and unsteady while mount- 
ing. The second way of mounting a horse is called the 
military or French way, and is taught a great deal in the 
United States, and for some reasons I prefer it to the other 
way, but one must be careful not to stand too far back, 
for fear that the horse might at some time strike the rider 
in the back from behind. Some horses are very restless 
to mount, and commence pawing with their front legs 
with impatience to be off, and sometimes from nervous- 
ness or fright, and that is one more good reason why the 



8 LEARNING TO MOUNT. 

rider, when mounting the English way, should stand back 
of the horse's shoulder, instead of nearly in front of it as a 
great many do. 



LEARNING TO DISMOUNT. 

So far as you have been told how to mount, now I 
shall explain to you how to dismount. There are two 
different ways. The first way is to keep all the reins in 
the left hand and grasp the mane, place the right hand on 
the pommel of the saddle, take the right foot out of the 
stirrup and then cross the leg over the back of the horse, 
and at the same time bringing the right hand well in the 
rear of the saddle, now bring the right foot to the ground 
before taking the left foot out of the stirrup. The other 
method to dismount, is to change the reins from the left 
to the right hand, resting the right hand on the pommel, 
grasp the mane with the left hand, passing the right leg 
over to the left side, then throw the left shoulder back, 
step down to the ground with the right foot, discard the 
left foot from the stirrup, advance one yard to the front, 
and then stand to your horse, holding the snaffle rein 
only. There are three ways to adjust your stirrups, the 
first way is to measure your stirrup by the length of the 
arm, that is, place the stirrup under the elixir of your left 
arm, then extend your arm to its full length, allowing the 
tip of the second finger to touch the centre of buckle of 
the stirrup leather. The next test is to get mounted on 
your horse and press your feet well down, sitting well in 
the middle of the saddle, raise the toes and then measure 
the stirrup with each ankle, the steel should just touch 



io LEARNING TO DISMOUNT. 

each ankle. The third way is to place your feet in both 
stirrups, keeping them under the ball of each foot, and 
take care to sit well in the centre of the saddle, now 
stand straight up in your stirrups, resting the back of the 
right hand on the pommel of the saddle, if you can clear 
the pommel with the right hand resting on it, you have 
the stirrups the correct length. The second and third 
ways are the best to follow ; the first way will do in some 
cases, but not in all, you will understand that a great 
many men have long backs and short legs, while others 
have the reverse ; then again, one's arm may not be as 
long as one's leg, and on some horses you will require 
different lengths of stirrups. A lady should learn to mount 
her horse from the ground, and insist on being taught 
that way, and also learn to dismount without any assist- 
ance whatever. 

To mount correctly, the lady should take hold of the 
four reins in the right hand, place the hand on the up 
pommel then place the left foot in the hand of the assist- 
ant, resting your left hand on his shoulder ; at the word 
three, straighten the left knee, at the same time spring up 
with the right foot on to the saddle, cross your right knee 
over the upper pommel, place the foot in the stirrup, then 
change the reins from the right hand to the left. The way 
to dismount, is to hold the reins in the left hand, take the 
foot out of the stirrup, pass the right leg over the pom- 
mel, with the assistance of the right hand placed under 
the right knee, to prevent the skirt from getting caught on 



LEARNING TO DISMOUNT. n 

the pommels, then change the reins from one hand to the 
other, now turn your body round facing the horse, hold- 
ing the right shoulder well back, hold the skirt up to your 
waist with the left hand, then slide gracefully down, but 
do not attempt to jump off. When dismounting you 
should have the right snaffle rein drawn up a little shorter 
than the left one. A good horsewoman should be able to 
dismount at a walk, at a trot, and when going at a slow 
canter, and b\ practice and by following out proper in- 
structions, it can be accomplished without any danger to 
the rider. 



ABOUT THE BRIDLE — EXPLAINING THE USE OF 
THE SNAFFLE AND CURB. 

Before proceeding any further with my book, I 
should like to call the reader's attention to the bridle and 
saddle which one has to use on the horse, and explain to 
you the use of each bit separately ; speaking about the 
snaffle first, and then saying a few words with regard to 



RlCHT SNAFF LE ; 
RT.HT CUf^B 




the curb bit and curb chain. Now it is necessary when 
riding a horse, to have a well fitted riding bridle on him. 
Properly speaking, the bridle should have a light caves- 
son or noseband, and that means three headstalls, but 
never less than two, if you have only two, the best plan 



ABOUT THE BRIDLE. 13 

is to run the noseband through the curb headstall, with 
the snaffle headstall passing on the outside. 

The snaffle I will call the acting bit. The curb bit, I 
think it will be well to term the lever or balance bit. I 
will now speak about each bit separately. The snaffle 
is the upper bit, with a round ring on each side, and when 
rightly placed in the horse's mouth, should fit easy with- 
out gagging, and it comes much more in use for a begin- 
ner than the curb does. If you wish the horse to walk 




out freely, use the snaffle, use the snaffle to trot a horse, 
and use the snaffle when you jump a horse as well as the 
curb, and above all, in the latter case, use your best 
judgment. Now I come to the curb bit. The bit, when 
properly placed in the horse's mouth, should be one inch 
above the lower tusk, and in a mare's, two inches above 
the mark. Sometimes it will be necessary to have the 
bit or mouthpiece a trifle higher or lower, as the con- 



14 ABOUT THE BRIDLE. 

formation of some horse's mouths differ a great deal. I 
have simply written down the general rule to go by, 
which will answer in most cases, but not in all. The 
lower the bit is placed, the more severe it is. Great care 
must be taken that the width of the mouth piece is neith- 
er too wide nor too narrow for the horse s mouth, or it 
will injure the horse, and bad results will come from it. 
Sometimes the bit is placed very high in the horse's mouth, 
so it will be as well to look at your bridle and saddle 
before mounting, and see that every thing is in perfect 
order. 




The correct place for the curb chain is in the chin 
groove, and when properly adjusted one should always be 
able to place the first and second fingers under it. The 
chain should lie smoothly, without any twist in it, and 
care should be taken not to place the chain too high, that 
is on the cheek bones, for it will not only annoy the horse, 
but will make him thrust out his nose, instead of bringing 



ABOUT THE BRIDLE. 15 

it in, as he should do. On some bits, the length of the 
curb chain should not be more than nine inches. No curb 
should be placed on any horse that has not been broken 
to answer and bend to the pressure of it, as oftentimes 
more harm than good will come from it, very probably 
some accident. The throat lash should be loose enough 
to admit the hand through, the breastplate should fit easily, 
so that one can pass the hand between the breast and 
leather. The girths of a lady's saddle, when properly 
strapped up, should admit three fingers, and that of a 
man's saddle four. 

The reader may like to know how to distinguish 
the snaffle reins from the curb reins ; you have been told 
how to distinguish one bit from the other, and now I will 
explain to you how to know one rein from the other. 
The snaffle rein is the upper rein, and has a buckle in the 
centre, and is held outside. On some bridles the snaffle 
rein is wider. The reason for having a buckle on the rein, 
is to be able to part the reins quickly when you desire to 
use a ring martingale. The curb rein is the lower rein, 
and is sewn at the centre. It is held inside, that means 
nearly in the middle of the hand, between the second and 
third fingers of the left hand. 

Having mentioned a martingale in this chapter, I 
might as well speak a few words with regard to them. 
The only martingale that should be used on a saddle 
horse is a ring martingale, and then let it be a running 
one, as all other martingales are useless and dangerous. 



1 6 ABOUT THE BRIDLE. 

Horses that are properly trained and ridden, should require 
no martingale, and the less trappings a horse has on the 
better he looks. 



THE WALK. 

To make a horse walk forward, you should ease on 
both reins and close both legs equally. If a lady is riding 
she should press her left leg behind the girth and use the 
whip on the right side. The whip or crop to a lady acts 
in the place of the right leg, and a horsewoman should 
never ride without one. The front legs of the horse are 
the bearers or supports, the hind ones the propellers, and 
are more or less relied on in the canter, and especially in 
jumping. Now, the rider's hands are for the forehand of 
the horse ; all that part in front of the saddle, and the 
legs, are to control the haunches, all that part back of the 
saddle. The hands and reins are intended to guide and 
steady the horse, and to stop him when required, and the 
legs are used to make the horse go forward, they help to 
balance and support him, and riders should never use one 
without the other. A carriage horse guides from the bit 
alone. A saddle horse should be guided, partly from the 
neck, which is termed bridlewise, as well as from the bit, 
and by the aid of either leg. When riding in company, 
never chirp or click to your horse, as it is a very rude 
habit, as you may unsettle your friend's horse, if it is at 
all a lively animal. Instead of chirping to your mount, 
touch him with a pressure of the leg, and make him ex- 




READY TO MOUNT. 



THE WALK. I9 

tend his walk. I do not know of anything so annoying 
as to see a horse creeping along, as if the poor animal 
had corns and could not travel any faster, because the 
horse's gait should be always active and decided. Now 
often it is the fault of the rider, and not the horse at all. 
If you will give the horse his head, and make use of the 
leg and whip, he will do his best to walk out in the right 
manner. You should be careful when riding to keep your 
left hand firmly closed, in fact, make a fist of it, and 
wear a loose-fitting glove, an extra size will be all the 
better, and it will be well to dispense with rings when 
riding. I remember an instance of a boy riding on a pony 
down a steep hill at a walk on the hard road, and when 
about half way down, the pony stumbled, fell, and broke 
his knees ; if the lad had had his hands firmly closed, the 
reins would not have slipped through his fingers, but in 
all probability he could have pulled up the pony before 
harm was done, but that is not all, for if you do not hold 
the reins firmly, you will keep getting a longer rein than 
you require, and if the hand is not closed it will necessi- 
tate your shortening them very frequently. 




GROOM HOLDING HORSE. 



THE TROT. 

There are a great many riders in the United States 
who have never been able to ride a trotting horse, and 
could not if they would, and they have seldom wished to 
try, as they have found it too much labor. In the western 
countries, and in the south, a great many ride on horses 
at the single foot, pace, lope or canter, and on some horses 
the various gaits are easy and pleasant, but there is no 
gait so enjoyable to ride as the trot, when any one knows 
how, and being harder to learn than any other, it is more 
enjoyable when mastered. It is one rule by which a 
teacher can tell a good rider from a bad one, but I do not 
wish my readers to misunderstand me, and think that if 
they are able to sit on their saddle correctly, and rise 
gracefully in the trot, and just catch the stride of the 
horse and rise in good time, that they are accomplished 
horsemen or horsewomen, for I must ask you not to 
think any such thing ; to make a good rider, one has to 
know and understand many more things, as well as to be 
able to sit well on a trotting horse. 

I shall first explain to you how to make a horse trot 
You should ease on both reins and close both legs, accord- 
ing to the horse's temper, and when a lady is riding, she 
should touch her horse with the whip behind the saddle 



22 THE TROT. 

and close the left heel, then when the horse is trotting, the 
rider should feel the reins to raise the horse's forehand and 
to keep his haunches under him. 

It is very likely that some of my readers may not 
understand the advice given above, so I will explain to 
you clearly what I do mean. Now every horse has a 
different gait, mouth and temper ; some horses are pull- 
ers, while others you must ride light in hand, then again, 
you will find horses that are free and ambitious, while 
others are lazy and require urging. When I say ease on 
the reins, I mean for you to give the horse a loose rein, 
and not to prevent him from going in any way, and when 
1 say feel the reins, I mean that you are to hold him in to 
some extent and not allow him to go at whatever gait or 
rate of speed which he prefers. You must make up your 
mind to let your horse know that you, and you alone, are 
master or mistress of your mount. If you are firm at the 
start, you will be able to do anything with him, and when 
you once get full control over your horse, it will help you 
a great deal before you get through with horseback 
riding. 

The first thing to do when mounted, is to try and get 
a correct position on the saddle. Some ladies, after they 
have been riding for some time, have a tendency to ride 
onesided, or ride with a churning movement ; raise their 
hands, hold their heads down and swing their legs about 
like the branch of a tree when the wind blows hard, or 
like the pendulum of a clock, foot well home in the stirrup. 




Position in saddle. 



24 THE TROT. 

toes down and turned outward very much, with plenty of 
space between the knee and saddle, at the same time not 
forgetting to pull with sudden jerks on the reins. Such 
riders even declare afterwards that " it was just too lovely 
for anything." 

Now all the above faults can be prevented if the pupil 
has a good teacher and will take pains to learn how to 
ride. When trotting the rider must not depend on the 
stirrup alone, but must rise from the right knee, the right 
toe kept down close to the horse, keep the left heel down, 
with the stirrup on the ball of the foot, care must be taken 
that the left foot is not drawn back or thrust forward, but 
held straight down, the toe nearly in line with the left 
knee. If the foot is drawn back, the rider will be thrown 
forward, and if it is thrust forward, the pupil will rise in a 
stiff and unnatural way. It should always be remembered 
that the limbs support the upper part of the body. The 
rise and fall in the saddle should be straight, easy and 
graceful, without bending the body forward, and in per- 
fect time with your horse ; bear in mind that it is entirely 
wrong to attempt to rise when the horse is walking, jog 
trotting or cantering, and the rider must keep a close seat 
until the horse trots fast enough to assist the pupil to rise. 
If pupils try and attempt to rise before the horse attains 
the rate of speed that is required, it gives any one an im- 
pression that the rider desires to lift his or her horse up 
from the ground, which is not only wrong, but very fool- 
ish. A lady when riding, must try at first to get a good 



THE TROT. 25 

seat, that is, sit down well in the centre of the saddle, sit- 
ting square to the front, with the buttons of your waist in 
a line with the horse's mane, and the shoulders in line 
with the horse's ears, with the shoulders thrown well back 
and elbows carried close to the sides and the head held 
up, looking well in front of you for twenty yards or so. 
Now when wishing to bring a horse down from a trot to 
a walk, do not keep rising, but after slowing your horse 
down to a slow trot, take a close seat, for if you keep 
rising and the horse should stop very suddenly, it is more 
than likely that you might be thrown off. 




MOUNTED. 



THE CANTER. 

It is a hard task for a great many riders to make a 
horse canter correctly, and still more difficult for others to 
canter at all. Even some men ride, hit or miss, all their 
lives, without knowing right from wrong, and care less, 
as long as the steed they bestride, carries them along at a 
rapid gait. The great trouble is that some riders do not 
know how to place a horse for the canter, and very sel- 
dom what aids to use. When a horse canters properly, 
the weight must depend on the haunches, and the horse 
must balance himself accordingly ; for instance, if the 
rider is riding in a ring, and riding to the right, the animal 
should by all means lead with the right leg, both front 
and rear, and vice versa to the left. When riding to the 
right the horse obtains his balance on the right hind leg, 
assisted by the left hind leg ; when riding to the left, it is 
the left hind leg, assisted by the right hind leg. Now at 
first, when you learn to canter your horse, you should do 
it from a trot, as it is easier for the pupil. The aid for 
cantering is to try and raise the forehand, use a strong 
pressure of both legs, the outward one much the stronger. 
When riding in the right direction, the rider should raise 
the right rein and close the left leg, and when riding to 
the left, should raise the left rein and close the right leg. 



28 THE CANTER. 

You must at all times have your horse well in hand and 
fully collected, and try and make your horse canter 
nearly as slowly as he would walk. You should bring 
the horse well in balance by a steady support with the 
reins and legs. The horse should at all times be so 
placed that he looks the way he is going, and if the rider 
cannot make the horse canter on straight lines, he will be 
able to do so on a circle, or on turning a corner. When 
you have been riding for some time, it will be well for 
you to start your horse in a canter from a walk, and also 
from a halt. You should collect your horse with the 
curb rein, and stimulate him with the legs and whip if 
required. It is necessary at all times to have the horse's 
head brought in and not have his nose thrust out, and 
one should at all times be able to feel and tell if the horse 
is leading right or not. If a horse is leading with the 
right front leg and the left hind one, then the horse is 
called disunited, and when a horse goes that way, he 
should be brought dow T n to a walk at once, as it not only 
gives the rider a very unsteady and insecure seat, but it 
is also dangerous. Sometimes green horses get disunited, 
also nervous ones, but more often the blame should be 
attached to the rider, as it is usually his fault. 



RING RIDING. 

Riding in a ring is one thing, and riding round a ring 
is quite another. How many riders when they ride in a 
school, make a complete circuit, the first thing they think 
of doing after getting mounted, is to make as much haste 
across the ring as they can, then dart into some corner, 
then dart out again, and sometimes they even charge 
against some other riders, and in their excitement forget 
to apologize, but it could be all avoided if the rider would 
only follow proper advice. 

After a rider gets mounted on a strange horse, always 
make it a point to walk round the ring a few times before 
you attempt any quicker pace. When riding at a trot or 
canter, always ride your horse near the wall and do not 
cut off the corners, as it is a very bad habit, and it teaches 
the horse a very bad trick. After reining in your horse 
from a trot to a walk, ride your mount towards the centre 
of the ring, about ten feet away from the side, and above 
all, try and avoid riding round on a circle, but try and 
ride on straight lines as well as you can. It is more diffi- 
cult in some respects to ride round in a ring than it is on 
the road, especially if you are called upon to ride circles 
and to do several changes. An even balance in the sad- 
dle is the most important of all, and that is what a pupil 




THE RIGHT WAY. 




THE WRONG WAY. 



32 RING RIDING. 

must study and practice to become an expert horseman or 
horsewoman. When riding on the right hand and turn- 
ing a corner, be careful to lean over towards the centre of 
the curb you are describing, and just the reverse way on 
the left hand. The upper part of the body should incline 
to the right on the right hand, and on the left hand a lady 
should keep her right shoulder back and sit square to the 
front. One should use judgment according to the rate 
of speed that the horse is traveling. 

Remember that when riding in a class on the lead, 
that it is absolutely necessary for the leader to be a good 
judge of pace, and to keep up an even gait, without this 
knowledge, a man or woman should never be over anx- 
ious to lead a class ; there are also two other requirements 
one should know, that is to have a quick eye to take in 
the whole class at a glance and to be able to assist it in a 
measure and to be able to hear well, so that you may be 
able to understand distinctly the commands given by the 
instructor. When an order is given to change hands, 
you should not turn your horse left or right about, but 
ride across the centre of the ring, well up to the wall, and 
then turn left or right, as the case may be ; when you 
change from the right hand to the left when riding in a 
class, and are riding at one end of the ring and wish to 
change to the other end, pass on the right, and when you 
wish to change from the left hand to the right, pass on 
the left ; the difference in changing is this, that in chang- 
ing from the right hand to the left, you pass bridle hand 



RING RIDING. 33 

to bridle hand, whereas in passing from the left hand to 
the right, you do not do so. 

The reason the term right and left hand is used, is 
because when on the right hand, the right shoulder of the 
horse is towards the centre of the ring, and when riding 
on the left hand the left shoulder is towards the centre, 
and in the canter the horse extends one shoulder more 
than the other ; there are other rules given, but the above 
one is correct. 

A great many riders in this country ride on buckskin 
saddles and use rubber pads. I think it a very bad habit 
to become accustomed to. There are some ladies who 
like to ride with the slipper stirrup, but I do not like it, as 
it teaches a pupil to ride from it. The best stirrup in the 
market is the Victoria Stirrup, and it pleases every one. 
The best way for a man to become a good rider, is to 
ride on the horse bareback, and also to ride on the saddle 
without stirrups. One must ride by natural means, not 
by artificial means, as it were, but try to balance yourself 
and to ride that way for some time without using other 
means. If you ride every day for a few months without 
stirrups, if only for a few minutes at a time, you will soon 
feel a great improvement in your riding. If you should 
be riding on a horse that you know, I think it is a very 
good plan to speak to him once in a while. You can 
often calm a highstrung horse down by doing so. I do 
not mean that you should speak to your horse when tak- 
ing a lesson, leave that for your teacher to do, as the 



34 RING RIDING. 

horse understands his voice better, but I mean when you 
are riding alone and are mounted on a lively animal 
which is inclined to prance and caper about out of good 
feeling. Do not become afraid, but use the words "steady 
boy," and you will find that it will calm the horse down 
nearly in every case. If you find that your horse seems 
really afraid of anything, say to him "steady boy," or 
"easy boy," and always speak loud enough so that he 
can hear you. Remember that if you are afraid of the 
horse, the horse is much more afraid of you. 

Now I am going to speak to you about the one word 
"Whoa." Never say whoa to your horse without you 
wish him to stop ; the word whoa has been greatly 
abused by thousands, and oftentimes it is a safeguard 
against accidents and runaways, so never mention the 
word without you wish the horse to stop, and if you own 
a horse teach him to understand the meaning of the word, 
or have him trained by some one. The word whoa is 
one of the greatest words in the horse language, and it 
means so much to all who own horses, not only to the 
horse, but to those who ride and drive them at times. 

There are three ways to turn a horse, namely : on 
the centre, on the forehand, and on the haunches. When 
a horse turns on the centre, the four legs move round on 
his own ground, and when done correctly you should 
use both reins and legs equally, without attempting to 
back your horse. When you wish to turn a horse on the 
forehand, the haunches of the horse must be brought 



RING RIDING. 35 

round on a circle, without the front legs leaving the 
ground they began at ; in turning round to the right, the 
left front leg acts as the pivot, and in turning to the left, 
the right front leg acts as the pivot. The aid for turning 
a horse right about on the forehand is this, the right rein 
stays the forehand, and the pressure of the left leg circles 
the croup round step by step. The right leg should be 
kept closed, so as to prevent the horse from hurrying 
away from the pressure of the left, and you should retain 
a feeling of the horse's mouth by raising the left rein. To 
turn the forehand left about you stay the forehand with 
the left rein, and use the right leg to circle the croup, the 
hands and legs are simply reversed. To turn a horse on 
the haunches, the forehand turns round, and the hind legs 
turn on their own ground. When wheeling to the left, it's 
the left hind leg that serves as the pivot, and when wheel- 
ing to the right, it's the right hind leg that serves as the 
pivot. In turning right about on the haunches, you should 
close the right leg to stay the hindquarters, and feel the 
right rein to circle the forehand round, and in turning left 
about you close the left leg and feel the left rein. 

I will write just a few more words before I close this 
chapter on ring riding. Remember that when riding in a 
class, every rider should be able to trot or canter single 
file, each one keeping his or her horse well collected, and 
also be able to canter by two's or four's; each rider 
should be very careful to keep the proper distance. 



ROAD RIDING. 

Every teacher knows that it is the wish of every pupil 
to get out on the road as quickly as possible. There are 
several reasons why a pupil prefers to ride on the road in 
preference to riding round a ring. First, it gives pupils a 
feeling of gratified pride and pleasure to think that they 
are able to guide their horses safely and with skill past so 
many vehicles in the park or elsewhere, without any mis- 
hap to themselves or to their horses. Secondly, they 
enjoy having their parents and friends meet them out, so 
that they can display some of their skill before them, and 
thirdly, every pupil finds that it is a great relief to get 
away from the monotony of the ring for a change, if for 
no other reason. Riders are perfectly right in wishing to 
ride on the road, for it not only improves the pupil's riding, 
but it gives them confidence and also improves their 
health. I am sorry to say that very few riders in this 
country strictly follow the rules that govern road riding. 
By the way some horsemen ride, even good riders, I 
doubt very much if they know the rules. The law in 
America is this, that when one party meets another on the 
road, they shall pass on the right side, but when riding 
on horseback, one should not only pass on the right, but 
also keep on the right side of the road. There are very 



ROAD RIDING. 37 

few riders that do ride on the side of the road. I have 
seen a few hunting men do it and some thorough horse- 
men and horsewomen ride near the side, but they are few 
and far between. I have often politely asked my pupils 
when they went out alone to ride on the side ; some have 
done so, but a few have exclaimed, what difference does 
it make on which side of the road I ride, as long as I get 
there. It makes a great deal sometimes to both horse and 
rider. I will explain the why and wherefore. The first 
reason why one should ride on the right side, is because 
it is the rule and it looks better. The second reason is 
that if you are riding in the middle of the road and hap- 
pen to be mounted on a vicious brute of a horse, which 
will plunge and rear with you, or for instance one that is 
inclined to be balky and not willing to go one way or the 
other, and so by riding in the middle of the road on such 
an animal, you would place yourself and your horse in 
everybody's way who desired to pass, or probably your 
horse might plunge against some passing carriage, or the 
carriage would strike your horse, especially if the road 
was a narrow one, and serious results might occur, pos- 
sibly a runaway. The third reason is this : that if you 
are riding outside the city, the ground on the side of the 
road is so much softer than in the centre, and it is so 
much better for the horse. If riders would follow my 
advice when riding on the road, there would not be so 
many horses with splints and so sore forward as their 
are. 



38 ROAD RIDING. 

It is admitted by experts that there is much more strain 
on a saddle horse than a carriage horse, and one should 
be always ready and willing to relieve him and render 
his burden as easy as lay in the rider's power. You have 
already been told on which side of the road you should 
ride, .now I will give you some more advice with regard 
to road riding. After the groom has brought your horse 
to the mounting-block, or from your own stable, as the 
case may be, before mounting, walk quietly up to him 
and notice if the bridle and saddle are put on to 
your liking, and if you own the horse yourself, ask after 
his appetite, and enquire from the man when he needs 
shoeing again, and after being satisfied with the reply, 
cast a look at the horse's appearance, and if you find that 
every thing is in order, speak a word of praise to your 
man before riding away. After leaving the stable be 
careful to walk your horse for a short distance before 
going at any greater speed. Notice at a glance how he 
conducts himself on the road. If you should be mounted 
on a horse that you have never ridden before, be always 
careful to be on the alert for any object that you think 
would in any way be at all likely to disturb or frighten 
him, and be careful to look well in front of you and keep 
your hands down. The next thing to do is to find out 
how you had better ride your horse. The proper way to 
ride a horse on the road is to have a steady and easy 
hand, and not to worry the horse's mouth ; another very 
important thing for the rider to remember, is to always 



ROAD RIDING. 39 

have his attention and mind on his horse and his sur- 
roundings. The trained horse should be ridden with both 
reins equally, and the untrained horse only with the 
snaffle ; it is not often the bits that worry the horse, but 
the rider's hand. When wishing to stop, a horse, do so 
gradually, but never suddenly, for you might strain your 
horse by doing so. 

As I have explained to you before, some horses 
require to be handled differently to what others do, and 
one should always remember that fact. I hope that my 
readers will not think me too exacting or too pointed in 
my remarks, for I am not at all ; but during the many 
years that I have had to do with horses and horsemen, I 
have secretly stored all the knowledge I could obtain, and 
always looked for points as regards riding and horses. 
When a boy, I had the good luck to be acquainted with 
some few of the best horsemen in the old world, and have 
hunted with them for several seasons. I used to meet 
boys about the same age as myself, young men and old 
men as well, and many a good word of advice has been 
given to me by men who had three score years or more 
over their heads and their hair as white as snow. I can 
safely say that I never once forgot the kindness extended 
to me by any of my friends in those days. What happy 
days they were to me, and the only thing to mar the 
sport was that I received so many spills ; that is, had 
horses fall into ditches, striking their head on the oppo- 
site bank, and sending me to, I cannot remember where, 



40 ROAD RIDING. 

to say nothing about getting run away with ; my horses, 
upon those occasions, always got away, for I never had 
strength enough to hold them in. Many a day's sport I 
have had at the expense of a fractured limb, but I would 
give a great deal to go through it all again. Do not mis- 
take me and think for a moment that I enjoy being run 
away with, for I do not, and that is the only time that I 
feel defeated and in anything but a happy mood. The 
excitement of the chase, the company you meet, and the 
house you belong to, seem to inspire a greater courage 
to dare to do what one has never done before. Speaking 
about runaways, that reminds me that I have been often 
asked by many what should a man do if a horse should 
run away with him. It is amusing to hear the remarks 
of some people as to what they should do. One man 
says run the horse into a fence. Now I will give you my 
advice. If a horse ran away with me, I should pray that 
he might take me to a better place than the one I had 
left. Now dear readers it is a very hard matter to say 
what any one would do in such a case, but it is easier to 
say what should be done. My advice is that if a horse 
should run away in the city, use all your strength to stop 
him before he runs very far, by taking hold of the snaffle 
reins in each hand, sawing hard at his mouth left and 
right, at the same time try and turn his head gradually to 
the left and then round to the right, the object in turning 
the horse's head is to try and get him off his stride, and 
every little while call out ''whoa boy." If your horse 



ROAD RIDING. 41 

should run away with you in a field, try and ride him on 
a circle, if in your power to do so, it will have a great 
effect on the horse, and if you keep riding round, gradually 
making the circle smaller, he will either stop or fall down. 
If out in the country the horse starts to run away, and 
the road is good, let him run, providing you are not 
afraid ; and if, when approaching a hill, the horse decides 
to stop at the foot of it, you must quickly change his 
plans by laying on the whip as hard as you can, and 
make him run faster than before, and when at the top you 
can stop him, and I venture to say that he will never run 
away again ; but after whipping him, do not pat him on 
any account, but speak sternly to him, then turn round 
and walk nearly all the way home. If you have time to 
ride on him the next day, do so, and take him over the 
same ground that you rode the day before, it is not at all 
likely that he will attempt to run away again. 

When riding at a long distance from home, and if 
your horse should be so unfortunate as to cast a shoe, 
enquire for the nearest blacksmith and ride your horse 
slowly to the place then have the shoe nailed on. If you 
are riding on a school horse, the proprietor of the school 
will be only too glad to refund you the price of the shoe 
on your return. Never abuse your horse without just 
cause. Always remember that the longer you ride, the 
more you will have to learn. I think the horse is man's 
greatest teacher. If you should ride much you will find 
out that everv horse is somewhat different to handle and 



42 ROAD RIDING. 

manage. When riding down hill always walk your horse. 
If you should stop at any road house, even for a few 
minutes, have the man lead the horse about, and tell him 
to keep him moving until you call for him ; but if you 
intend staying for some time, and having a long journey 
to go, give orders to have the horse put in the stable and 
blanketed, and when you are ready to leave, walk down 
to the stable and ask the man to give your horse a pail of 
water, that is providing the horse is quite cool and that 
his blood is not overheated before riding away ; do not 
forget to reimburse the groom for his trouble, as it will 
always pay you to do so. 

I wish to mention something more about road riding. 
Whenever you see that your horse is afraid of any object, 
try to divert his attention by playing with the bit in the 
horse's mouth, which in most cases will be successful. 
When riding on the road in a class, the riders should keep 
together and ride at a steady gait on the side of the road. 
The slow horse should set the pace for the rest. It is 
necessary to mention here a word or two with regard to 
politeness on the road. It is just as easy to be polite on 
the road on horseback, as it is in the drawing-room. A 
gentleman when riding with a lady, will always raise his 
hat when meeting any one he knows, and expects the 
same in return, but a great many men I have met in the 
park, instead of raising their hat as they should do, simply 
lift their whip up to their hat, like a groom tipping his cap 
to his mistress. 



HANDS AND SEAT. 

There are many people who never obtain a good 
seat on horseback ; the same may be said with regard to 
hands. I have been acquainted with some men and 
women who have ridden for years, and men who claim 
to be thorough horsemen, and in their own estimation, 
know all about riding, but have neither any seat nor good 
hands. Now what is the reason that so many people 
have such poor hands and seat? Is it because they are 
not taught correctly ? No, that is not the reason, but it 
is because the rider is forgetful and careless, and very 
often nervousness is the trouble. There are some people 
who, if you asked them to ride a quiet-going, easy horse, 
could do so with credit, but if you asked one of them to 
ride a horse with a better mouth and better trained, and 
required light hands, nine cases out of ten it would result 
in failure. 

I have found a great many men who think it a grand 
thing to bully their horse when riding him ; they fancy 
that they are as strong as the horse, because they are 
able to sit on his back better than some others. Every- 
thing that they require the horse to do is demanded by 
brute force, and the poor beasfis often made to attempt 
to do things which he finds he is unable to do. Such 



44 HANDS AND SKAT. 

men have not the patience or common sense to under- 
stand that the horse requires to be shown and instructed, 
and must be given time to learn. 

Riders who have the best seats are they, whether 
men or women, whose tempers are good and who are in 
constant communication with their horses. A good rider 
always has a feeling of his horse's mouth, but never 
holds on by it ; he can tell in an instant by the feel of the 
horse's mouth if he contemplates anything out of the way, 
and can nearly always forestall him in time. If the horse 
should get startled and jump to one side, he goes with 
him and does not pull his mouth about ; in fact, it would 
appear that horse and man were one machine, possessed 
of one mind between them. If people who keep horses 
once are made to understand what riding means, and to 
know how agreeable is the feeling of a horse going pleas- 
antly up to the bit without pulling, at the same time feel- 
ing, as it were, every motion of the horse, they would 
never be satisfied with one that was not thoroughly 
broken, and they would always try to keep him a perfect 
saddle horse. 

The first thing then a rider must try to get is a good 
seat, and it must be in the proper place, that is, in the 
middle of the saddle, which is the only coirect seat to 
have. The man that sits back on his saddle on the can- 
tie, and has his legs bent forward has a chair seat, and 
the man who leans his body forward and sticks his legs 
out has a fork seat, and any man that rides the latter way 



HANDS AND SEAT. 45 

is entirely at the mercy of the horse. As I said before, 
the only seat is in the middle of the saddle, the lower part 
of the leg about covering the girths, and the toe in line 
with the knee, the hips upward movable, in order to 
enable the rider to balance himself, and from the knee 
downward movable, so as to close the legs, and be able 
to use the spur when required to control the horse's hind 
legs. The rider must hold on by his thighs and knees, 
and must never depend on his reins or his heels, to hold 
him on. 



LEAPING. 

When training a horse to jump, the trainer should be 
very careful not to frighten the horse at the commence- 
ment, as every horse is a willing and natural jumper, 
and those horses that refuse are spoiled by bad training. 
For this reason one must be careful not to take the horse's 
own confidence, but teach the horse gradually, that 
means every young horse should be taught to jump at 
first without a rider. When he is so far advanced that he 
takes the obstacles with pleasure, the trainer mounts him 
and commences to jump low hurdles and small ditches, 
and be very careful not to disturb his mouth. At the 
beginning the young horse should be ridden with a plain 
snaffle, as all refusing more or less, is caused by fear that 
the bits will hurt his mouth, but I wish to make the 
remark that if a man thinks his horse fit for jumping, he 
has to be firm and decided, and force him over the jump. 



TRAINING. 

In the preceding chapters I have endeavored to 
explain to you how to ride in the ring, and how to ride 
on the road, and before finishing my book I wish to 
make a few remarks about training. It is necessary for 



TRAINING. 47 

a man to be a successful trainer, to have a love for a 
horse, and to be able to keep his temper and to have 
plenty of courage. The trainer should never forget that 
he has to deal with an animal which cannot be broken 
by brutal force, but can be with patience, care and love. 
The great difficulty for an employed riding teacher in 
any of the schools in this country, that means if he is a 
man that understands his business, and one who has the 
ambition and will to instruct his pupils in the proper way, 
is that he does not find the material, simply because the 
horses are not thoroughly broken in the campaign school 
at first. It is a great mistake of many men who own 
horses to think that they can have them broken to the 
saddle in a month or two, as it is impossible to train a 
horse as one should be trained in a shorter time than 
three or four months without injury to the horse, because 
if any one should attempt to train a horse in a shorter 
time, it would not only injure the horse, but no good 
results would be obtained from it. If you want to train a 
horse in the proper way, you should take into consider- 
ation his age and his build, and never require more in 
one lesson than the horse can do with ease and without 
fatiguing him and thereby provoking his resistance. The 
training always commences by bringing the horse well in 
balance, for this reason the horse, for the first few les- 
sons has to be ridden only at a walk and natural trot. 
After this, if the horse commences to gain confidence in 
his rider, you commence to make the turning first at a 



4 8 TRAINING. 

walk and then on the spot, at the same time the horse has 
to be made flexible in the jaw and in the neck, before and 
after each lesson. 

Now we go over to balancing the horse, that means 
the horse has to be ridden for a certain time in a short, 
steady and even trot, the result will be that you will get 
the horse accustomed to go up to the hand and leg, for 
this reason you have to ride your horse well into the cor- 
ners of the ring, also when trotting ride the turnings, 
changes and circles. When the horse does all of the 
above instructions correctly, it will be well to commence 
with the passages, which should always be done at first 
from the ground. (What is called passages ?) It means 
that the horse goes on a double track. What are the pas- 
sages ? There is the full passage and the half passage, 
after tnis comes the shoulder in. You should always 
begin to train your horse first with haunches in. When 
the horse is properly placed in shoulder in, his body from 
head to tail should be curved. The head and shoulders 
leading. The inward legs crossing the outward on two 
parallel lines, the hind feet one yard from the side. Sup- 
pose that you wish to make the horse go right shoulder 
in, you first place the horse by feeling the right rein and 
closing the left leg, but the rider must be careful not to 
bring the forehand in too much. When he is in the proper 
position the right leg should be closed and the shoulders 
led off by the left rein, the bend being kept to the right, so 
that the horse will be gaining ground to his left, moving 



TRAINING. 4g 



sideways, though still bent and looking to his right The 
left rein leads the horse and the right bends him ; by a 
pressure of the right leg makes him cross his legs, and 
the left leg prevents him from running back, or hurrying 
away from the pressure of the right leg. The horse musl 
not be allowed to hurry, and when wishing to stop, the 
left leg should be closed. 

- The difference between shoulder in and passage, is 
this : In the shoulder in the horse looks and bends the 
opposite way that he is going, whereas in the passage he 
bends and looks and goes the same way, and the horse 
turns on his forehand in shoulder in, while in the pass- 
age he turns on his haunches. 

All the above instructions are given to bring the 
horse well m balance, to supple his neck, ribs and shoul- 
ders, and to teach him to obey the pressure of the legs 
Now we come to the gallop. It is very important that 
the tramer m the first few lessons in the gallop does not 
irritate his horse, for this reason a young horse should 
always be mstructed to start from the trot into the gallop 
and always when he is in a natural position ; that means 
when he passes the corner, or if the trainer brings him 
first m a circle. When the horse is so far advanced that 
he starts easy into a gallop, he should be started from 
haunches in from a walk. 



ADVICE TO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WHO 
INTEND BUYING A SADDLE HORSE. 

In the first place those intending to buy a horse have 
to make up their minds what kind of a horse they want 
to buy, so that they are perfectly satisfied after the pur- 
chase is made. When buying a saddle horse you have 
to be convinced either by yourself or by some good vet- 
erinary surgeon that the horse is sound. What is a 
sound horse ? A horse is called sound when his four legs 
are clean, eyes perfect, wind good, and his bowels are in 
order. I will here describe a good saddle horse and tell 
you what is required to be a good one. To begin with, 
the horse's head should be lean and well cut out, he 
should have a broad and intelligent eye, a broad fore- 
head and large nostrils. The ear should be small and 
pointed. A horse should have a long neck, well arched 
and well cut out in the jaw, he should have high withers, 
deep and sloping shoulders and broad chest. The front 
legs should be straight, the upper arm to the knee long 
and very muscular. The knee should be broad and flat, 
the cannon bone or shank should be short, strong, and 
flat. The pastern should not be long or short, standing 
oblique. The hoof should be deep and sound, that means 



ADVICE TO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 51 

that the horn should be strong and clean, without any 
cracks, the one of the main points of a sound hoof, 
should be large and wide, touching the ground. A sad- 
dle horse should have a short back and be well ribbed up 
near the hips and strong across the kidneys. The 
haunches should be long, never cut off and very straight, 
the tail be set on high-standing straight out. The hocks 
should be large and bony and very strong, not close 
together nor far apart, but straight. In regard to fetlock 
and hoof they should be the same as front feet. 

Question. What is the proper age to buy a saddle 
horse ? 

Answer A saddle horse should never be younger 
than five and never older than nine. 

If you buy a young saddle horse be convinced that 
his gait is clean and not too long. With regard to a 
broken horse, be satisfied that he has not been spoiled, 
that he has no tricks or vices and that his gait is true and 
even. 



SUGGESTIONS. 



HOW TO START AND HOW TO RUN A PUBLIC RIDING SCHOOL. 

If a man intends to start a public riding school, he 
must be decided where to locate it. A man with but lit- 
tle capital will always do better to start in a small, but 
thriving and growing town. In a city like New York or 
like cities, only a man with large capital can expect 
success. 

Before you have made your mind up to build a 
school, you must be sure of a very good and convenient 
location. The main building in the stable should have 
all modern improvements and be well ventilated, and 
should therefore be made as comfortable as possible for 
the public. Before you open your school you must have 
a well selected and properly trained stock of horses and 
also the proper equipments, which under all circum- 
stances should be kept neat and clean and in good order. 
If you should require the assistance of other riding mas- 
ters, you should be very careful to select the proper men, 
but not adventurers in which all large cities abound. 

Before you advertise in the daily papers the opening 
of your establishment, you must be sure that everything 
is in perfect order and in readiness, and at the same time 



SUGGESTIONS. 53 

when advertising your school, you should mention the 
rules which will be observed and carried out to the letter. 
To run such a place in the proper way it is important 
that from the start the proper system is kept. The riding 
masters should be treated like friends of their employer, 
not like hirelings. No bad feeling among themselves 
should exist or be tolerated, and such men as cannot 
agree should be discharged. The teachers should always 
work together hand in hand for their employer's interest. 
The foreman of a large riding school should be his em- 
ployer's right hand man in many cases, and therefore not 
alone a thorough horseman, but a man of great experi- 
ence, and should be able to control stable help and put 
such a spirit in his men that they do their work with 
pleasure and with readiness. 

It is very important that the horses are divided 
equally among the riders, but under no consideration 
should the favorite horses be allowed to be overworked 
and ruined before their time. For this reason the pro- 
prietor of a riding school should never keep such horses 
as are useless to him and are not fit for work and stand 
idle in the stable, but should dispose of them at once. 

As regards road-riding, it is very necessary to try and 
arrange to get together parties to ride out under the 
leadership of one of the masters, who is made strictly 
responsible for the horses. When this cannot be done, 
horses let out without a riding master should only be let 
out to well known patrons and pupils of the establish- 



54 ■ SUGGESTIONS. 

ment, and even those should be warned not to abuse the 
horses, as in such a case it would be the proper thing to 
inform them that they cannot be supplied any more from 
the school. 

According to the proper riding instruction, it will be 
always a great benefit to arrange as much as possible 
private classes, as it is natural that the progress in riding 
will be very beneficial to the pupil. 



WHAT HORSEBACK RIDING HAS DONE FOR 

MANY, AND WHAT IT WILL DO 

FOR YOU. 

A great many people have often asked me why it is 
that so many people ride. The answer briefly told, is 
this : There are several reasons why people ride, one is 
because they really enjoy it, and after a fair trial find that 
it is about the best pleasure in life ; another reason is that 
it is the most healthgiving exercise that there is, which is 
a very good reason. Another reason is because it is 
fashionable, but that seems to me a very poor reason to 
give, although many people cling to fashion like a 
drowning man does to a rope. 

Question. Why should nearly every one ride on 
horseback ? 

It is because it is a duty to yourself and family. 
There are thousands of men to-day in New York who 
would be the better for horseback riding, men who are 
compelled to be in an office all day long and those who 
have more or less brain work to do, and then we have 
another class of men who are always ill at ease, ill in 
mind and ill in body, and such men remind me of a 
badger in a hole, that requires drawing out. The truth 
of the matter is that they need a tonic, and that is horse- 



56 WHAT HORSE-BACK RIDING HAS DONE. 

back riding. Medicine has been tried and has failed. 
Forty-five doctors out of every fifty recommend horseback 
riding, and the other five are opposed to it, simply be- 
cause they have not made a thorough study of the subject 
and their grounds for objection are based on their inex- 
perience. I have, however, to acknowledge that the 
doctors are perfectly right in certain cases, to forbid their 
patients to ride. 

Ladies should ride a great deal more than they do, 
as they do not get enough exercise as a general thing. 
What has riding done for a great many ? It has made 
old men feel younger and made young men feel better. 
Remember the old saying, that "health is wealth." 
What will riding do for you ? It will cure so many ills 
that I could not begin to write them all down, and it is 
the most healthgiving exercise that there is. A riding 
master who understands his profession thoroughly, when 
coming in contact with so many different people, will 
know at a glance what should be done with a timid per- 
son, in fact, a teacher has to study his pupils like a doctor 
does his patients. Some pupils can stand a great amount 
of exercise, while others can stand but very little, so it is 
the instructor's duty to remember that fact, and he should 
always try and make the lesson as pleasant and instruct- 
ive to the pupil as lies in his power. The wealthy ride 
because it is a pleasure for them to do so, the middle 
class follow suit for the same reason, and some ride for 
health. The poor man rides whenever he has a dollar to 
spare. 



WHAT HORSE-BACK RIDING HAS DONE. 57 

It is a great mistake to think that the expense is so 
much, for the prices for riding lessons are within the 
reach of nearly all who wish to indulge. Many people 
exclaim that they could never afford to ride, but they do 
not take time to think how much money they have to pay 
for medicine in a year, more than half of which could be 
saved and be put to a better purpose Then again, a 
great many declare it to be a dangerous sport ; it is no 
more dangerous than walking on the street when one is 
on a quiet horse. Now my friends do you think it bene- 
fits me in talking to you this way ? Not at all, but as I 
know what benefit horseback riding has done myself and 
thousands of others, I feel that I am working for a good 
cause in asking you to learn to ride. There are a number 
of good schools in New York and in nearly every large 
city. If you cannot go to one, go to the other. My 
advice is to go and learn to ride, on horseback, if it neces- 
sitates your having to go twenty miles. 



SOME USEFUL TIPS. 



Never wash a horse with cold water when he is 
heated. 

Water before feeding, but not while the horse is hot 
from work. 

Feed your horse regularly three times daily, but 
never over feed. 

Use the whip very little, and never when the animal 
shies or stumbles. 

Give the horse a large stall and good bed at night. 
It is important that he lies down to rest. 

If you own a horse that rears or stumbles, dispose of 
him as soon as you can. 

A cotton card is a good thing to groom a horse with. 
It cleans better than the comb. 

Near the close of a journey let the horse walk. If 
he is covered with sweat, use a scraper, and then rub off 
with a rag to prevent too sudden cooling. 



